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You are here: Home / Book Reviews / Catalyst and Catacombs – Tales of the Barque Cats

Catalyst and Catacombs – Tales of the Barque Cats

March 25, 2011 By: Sparkle Cat19 Comments

Catalyst and Catacombs - Tales of the Barque CatsCatalyst
Catacombs
By Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Not being much into human writers, I was not familiar with science fiction and fantasy author Anne McCaffrey. But Ms. McCaffrey is certainly familiar with us cats, and our otherworldly natures. Now finally, towards the end of her very long career, she has penned a couple of sci-fi books with kitties as the central characters. Both Catalyst and Catacombs focus on the Barque Cats, highly prized kitties who are bred especially to work on spacecraft. Not only do they keep the ships free of vermin and provide companionship to the crew, they also locate oxygen leaks, hazardous gases, and perform duties where humans can’t fit. The first book, Catalyst, introduces us to Chessie, the regal Barque Cat who gives birth to Chester, the book’s protagonist feline, and whose story we follow into Catacombs. We also meet Pshaw-Ra, a non-Barque Cat whose questionable plans for world domination come to a head in Catacombs. The fates of these cats, and their feline friends and family, are wrapped up in intergalactic intrigue, both human and cat-created. In the first book, the very lives of all Barque Cats, and many other creatures, are threatened by a government-decreed “epidemic” that supposedly infects them. It is up to Chester, his human — a boy named Jubal — and the machinations of the mysterious Pshaw-Ra to save the Barque Cats from mass euthanization. But we find in Catacombs that Pshaw-Ra has ulterior motives, involving his home planet of Mau, and the battle between his two daughters for the kingdom’s throne.

Yes, you find a variety of humans in the book, and their characters are as well-drawn as the cats are, from the sweet Janina (aka Kibbles), Chessie’s Cat Person, to Jubal’s father, the scheming but often good-hearted Carlton Pontius, to minor characters such as the dastardly veterinary researcher and cat-hater, Dr. Wren. Although the Barque Cats appeared in a prior series written by McCaffrey (the “Tower and Hive” books), these books put them in a new setting and the story is built around them completely. It’s a very fun series, even if you are not into sci-fi, and I hope that Ms. McCaffrey and Ms. Scarborough do not end at just two!

Get Catalyst here: Buy Catalyst: a Tale of the Barque Cats

Get Catacombs here: Buy Catacombs: a Tale of the Barque Cats

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Comments

  1. Linda says

    March 30, 2011 at 9:57 am

    Loved the books!! I, too, hope she does not stop with 2. Loved The Dragon Rider series from MacCafferty and am interested in reading Scarborough’s books too.

    Reply
  2. Spitty-the-Kitty says

    March 25, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    Well, the Human sometimes like the sci-fi, though not too often. Still, the kittehs make it more attractive! Thanks for the good review.

    Reply
  3. Pierro and Miles says

    March 25, 2011 at 6:04 pm

    Ohhhh books. Mom reads books and I get to cuddle. She might like these,
    She usually reads history books and non fiction stuff, biographies, but she could use some lighthearted bonkbonk reading. Thanks for the ideas

    Have a fun week-end!

    Reply
  4. Sweet Praline says

    March 25, 2011 at 5:07 pm

    Thanks for the book review. My mom tends to listen to audiobooks because she is on the road so much, so she doesn’t read too much at home.

    Reply
  5. Simba says

    March 25, 2011 at 4:51 pm

    Thanks for the heads up about these books, Sparkle.

    Reply
  6. Abby says

    March 25, 2011 at 3:27 pm

    Sparkle
    You wrote a fantastic review!
    Thank you!

    purrin
    xoxox

    Reply
  7. The Poupounette Gang says

    March 25, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    Those sound like fun! #1 has read books by Anne McCaffrey in the past!

    Purrs,
    The Chans

    Reply
  8. Brian says

    March 25, 2011 at 12:26 pm

    You did a great review, makes us want to read again!

    Reply
  9. Katnip Lounge says

    March 25, 2011 at 11:02 am

    Mommy put ’em on her want list!

    Reply
  10. Cathy Keisha says

    March 25, 2011 at 10:36 am

    They sound like really good books if I were to let TW actually sit for a minute and READ a book. heh heh

    Reply
  11. Pricilla says

    March 25, 2011 at 10:18 am

    They sound very interesting. Thank you for the review Sparkle!

    Reply
  12. Fuzzy and Zoe says

    March 25, 2011 at 8:56 am

    Hmm, I’ve never heard of this author before, but it’s worth putting on my list!

    Reply
  13. Penelope says

    March 25, 2011 at 8:39 am

    Thanks for the book Review! Mommy is a fan of Anne McCaffrey and she will see if she can get her paws, me means Hands on them!
    Kisses
    Nellie

    Reply
  14. Cheysuli says

    March 25, 2011 at 7:55 am

    The Woman has always enjoyed McCaffrey. She even got her autograph once but not on the cat books-

    Reply
  15. Hannah and Lucy says

    March 25, 2011 at 7:29 am

    We’ll tell mum about these books – she was reading in bed nearly all last night – we wish she’d do it without the light on!!
    luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx

    Reply
  16. Toby & Leia says

    March 25, 2011 at 7:27 am

    Our Mom luffs her books! This sounds great.

    Reply
  17. The Florida Furkids and Angel Sniffie says

    March 25, 2011 at 6:41 am

    Those sound like fun books. We’ll tell Mom.

    The Florida Furkids and Angel Sniffie

    Reply
  18. mariodacat says

    March 25, 2011 at 5:10 am

    Thanks for the good book review Sparkle. M’s not much for scifi books, but she said dat one looks pretty good.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Abyssinians are Everywhere: Catalyst and Catacombs « says:
    October 26, 2011 at 5:29 pm

    […] (I had forgotten that Sparkle reviewed these books earlier this year). […]

    Reply

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